1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates generally to suction skimmer systems and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a self leveling suction skimmer which can be adjustably engaged at preferred distances from the surface of a fluid body to separate preferred upper layers of liquid from a carrying layer of liquid in a fluid composition of immiscible liquids.
2. Description of Prior Art
Liquid mixtures produced by various industrial or natural processes frequently contain substances of differing specific gravity which separate by specific gravity into layers within the body of liquid. Skimming devices can be used to separate liquids of lighter specific gravity such as in oil-water mixtures into two components, one having molecules of substantially lighter specific gravity, while the other contains molecules of a substantially heavier specific gravity.
Suction skimmers have been deployed to remove the topmost layers of fluids from these liquid mixtures. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,330 by Gary C. Garrett a suction skimming device is described which requires manual adjustment to change skim positions in response to level changes in the liquid body. This device skims from only two preferred directions using fixed slot positions and also can not be configured to substantially exclude the topmost fluid layers from the skimmed fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,705 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,213 by James A. Glasgow include a floating suction skimmer but this construction requires a complex mechanical sensor which is subject to mechanical failure and failure of operation due to the presence of grit and contaminants in the skimmed fluids.
From the foregoing, no previous suction skimmer apparatus is self leveling for variable levels in the fluid body, skims adjustably preferred layers near the surface of a fluid body, provides a highly accurate and simple to operate method for setting and controlling variable preferred skim depths near a fluid surface, or which can operate without failure in the presence of grit and contaminants in the skimmed fluids.